4.2.1 YouthLinks Community - A Central Digital Platform
As the world is turning more and more digital, so do also our programmes have to adapt. In order to address this need, YouthCan! is implementing the digital platform YouthLinks Community:
YouthLinks Community uses the power of technology to strengthen young peoples skills trough training, mentorship and networking opportunities in a digital space, ultimately supporting them in becoming self-reliant.
Especially throughout 2020 & 2021, where global face-to-face activities had to be temporarily put on hold due to the COVID 19 pandemic, the need to use digital means to connect young people has been of enlarged need. Due to having had the YouthLinks-programme pillar put in place,YouthCan! could not only hold its offers to young people up, but even grow and scale total outreach.
YouthLinks builds on the following functionalities:
In 2021, reaching limitations of the first YouthLinks digital platform hosted on Facebook Workplace due to increased scale of the digital pillar, SOS Children's Villages decided to build a new, advanced and professionalized virtual space to host activites - The YouthLinks Community Platform:
After piloting the platform in 2021 and 2022, the platform's global roll-out to all SOS Children's Villages National Associations implementing the YouthCan! project has been advancing. By now, around 80% of all YouthCan! countries have received training and access to the YouthLinks Community, and can thus have access to the platform to digitalize YouthCan! activities.
By 2024, the YouthLinks Community counts more than 4.300 registered users, from our 90 countries around the world - with user numbers quickly increasing. More countries and youth empowerment projects & initiatives in the SOS Children's Villages world are utilizing the platform to connect opportunities with young people supported by the organization - turning the YouthLinks Community into the central digital space for young people globally to access opportunities on their path to self reliance, under and beyond the YouthCan! and GoTeach project frames.
If you are interested and want to find out more, kindly get in touch with Martin Schmid or click here.
Find out more about Online/Virtual Engagement and YouthLinks within the framework of GoTeach in the Activities-chapter of this Wiki. Also, access good practices here.
| Chapter lead | Andrea Colchado |
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